Toy log loading station



May 3, 1960 2,934,853

w. R. SMITH E AL TOY LOG LOADING STATION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 26, 1957 INVENTOR William {R- with SMEW ATTORNEY May 3, 1960 Filed Feb. 26, 1957 W. R. SMITH TOY LOG LOADING STATION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WW 8M5Z1Wco I I BY r1 1 ATTORNEY May 3, 1960 w. R. SMITH E TOY LOG LOADING STATION '4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 26. 1957 In H x Zr/Illlllll/llll/I/lll INVENTOR asmwa ATTORNEY May 3, 1960 Filed Feb. 26, 1957 W. R. SMITH ETAL TOY LOG LOADING STATION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 \NVENTO R vi/Calm, flaw.

sMam v ATTORNEY TOY LOG LOADING STATION William R. Smith, Hamtlen, and Gabriel R. Monaco, New Haven, Conn., assignors to The A. C. Gilbert icoiipany, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Mary- Application February 26, 1957, Serial No. 642,424

12 Claims. (Cl. 46-40) invention relates to an animated toy railway accessory simulating a trackside log loading station incorporating a crane motivated by an electric motor to pick up toy logs from a repository in the station and convey the logs to a car loading position in outboard relation to the station. The toy car may be a stake equipped lumber car or a log dumping flat car as proposed in U.S. Patent No. 2,438,603.

An object of the present improvements is to simplify various mechanical and electrical aspects of the log loading station that is disclosed and claimed in said patent by eliminating some of the parts and altering the construction of others to reduce the cost of manufacture.

Another object is to improve the performance of the crane in its automatic action for picking up and discharging toy logs as aforesaid.

Another object is to incorporate with the trolley or traveling wheeled chassis of the crane a suspended control cage occupied by a figurette representing a workman riding with the trolley for controlling the pickup and discharge of logs by the crane.

A still further object is to accomplish the performance of all moving parts in the log loading station through impelling force derived from a single electrically energized prime mover, such as a rotary motor, and thereby omit the complication of. multiple electric circuits and automatically operated electric switches employed in the log loading station of the aforesaid patent. A related object is to accomplish synchronous timing of the travel of the crane trolley and the action of certain log presenting mechanism in the base of the station by means of mechanical drive connections whose movement is inconspicuous to an observer of the toy, whereby in large part to conceal the means by which mechanical power is transmitted from a motor located high in the station structure to a log presenting mechanism located at the base of the structure.

These and other objects of the invention will appear in fuller detail from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention having reference to the appended drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the improved toy log loading station showing front walls of the framework partially broken away to expose internal parts.

. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the station with roof of the power house removed.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing parts of the station structure broken away or in section on the plane 33 in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 shows on an enlarged scale the manner in which the trolley claw engages and picks up a toy log.

Fig. 5 is a composite diagrammatic view showing simultaneous positions of the several power motivated log transferring devices partially in section on planes 55 in Figs. 1 and 3 just before the log lifter drops to its retracted position in Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the same parts conditioned as in Fig. 3 wherein the log conveying trolley 2,934,853 Patented vMay 3, 196Q of the crane has just begun its climb up the inclined tracks.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the same parts conditioned as when the log carrying trolley is finishing its climb and the log lifter has begun to rise toward its log elevating position in Fig. 4.

The frame structure of the improved log loading station may be fanciful in appearance. It is represented herein as a skeletonized platform and scaffold structure designated 10 including four corner posts 11 preferably resembling structural steel work upstanding from a hollow base platform 12 which may be molded from a suitable plastic or insulating material. The top surface of platform 12 is shaped to form an inclined bed comprising laterally spaced ways 14 sloping downward gradually from each of their relatively higher ends to an intermediae low seat 15. Each of the ways contains a slot 13 extending longitudinally of the way. The space between slots 13 is less than the length of any of the toy logs 16 so, that the ways 14 are spanned and crossed by logs lying across them. Such logs will tend to roll down to the seat 15 and thus one by one automatically will seek a position crossing the slots 13.

The tops of posts 11 are spanned by a superstructure 20 which serves to support an imitative power house 21 having a removable roof 1%. On this superstructure and within house 21 there is fixedly mounted an electric motor 22 having an armature shaft 23 equipped at its end with Worm threads 24 which drive reduction gears 25 fixed on a common shaft 26 journalled idly in a framework bearing bracket 29 fixedly related to the stator 19 of motor 22. The larger one of reduction gears 25 is a worm wheel. The smaller one is a worm in mesh with another worm wheel 27 which has a depending trunnion 28 journalled in the same frame bracket as is shaft 26.

The exposed bottom end of trunnion 28 is in fixed rotary engagement with the top end of a long vertical crank rod 30 bent in an upper portion of its length to form the crank 31 which extends through an elongate slot 32 cut lengthwise in the swingable impeller lever 33. Lever 33 is mounted pivotally at 34 on the superstructure 20. The length of slot 32 is sufiicient to prevent binding of the crank 31 during a full unidirectional revolution of the latter which causes a complete back and forth swinging excursion of the trolley impelling lever 33 about its pivot 34. As safety support for lever 33 there is suspended loosely from the superstructure 20 a U-shaped wire guide 35 having a horizontal span along which lever 33 can freely slide. 7 The lower end of crank rod 30 fixedly carries a cam 38 in the nature of a helical fin which has a drop-off permitting shoulder 37. Cam 38 underlies the operated spur 39 of a log elevating cradle 40 comprising a skeletonized plate carrying two parallel log elevating arms. 36 spaced laterally apart in accordance with the lateral spacing of slots 13 so as to rise therethrough. Cradle 40 is pivotally mounted on the station framework 10 at 41 within the hollow of the base. Each arm 360i cradle 40 is notched at 42 to a bifurcate shape for separating the lowest log from others on the ways 14 and elevating it above the ways and above the other logs as a way of presenting it to the operation of pickup hooks 62 of the wheeled crane trolley operation.

Trolley 59, connected to the free end of lever 33 by a flexible cord 63, rides on an inclined runway generally designated 54. As herein constructed the runway consists of two laterally spaced stationary trucks 55, each consist ing of the top edge of an upturned flange on border strips 56 of the cantilever runway structure 54. The'lowen t point in this runway is approximately vertically above the slots 13 in the ways 14. From this point the tracks 55 slope upward in a forward direction. In the opposite or rearward direction the border strips 56 slope upward also and receive fastening support at 57 on the superstructure 20.

Crane trolley 59 comprises a wheeled chassis 619 from which is swingably suspended a two-pronged stiff wire claw 61 the free end portion of each prong of which is looped to form a hook 62 opening rearwardly and having the shape shown in Fig. 4 such that the concavity of the hook is of greater horizontal extent than the thickness of a log intended to be cradled therewithin. Thus the terminal lip of the hook portion which underlies the log reaches well to the rear of the log enabling the log to be retained in the concavity of the book without the assist ance of extraneous clamping means such as heretofore have been regarded as necessary. The wire from which the hooks 62 of claw 61 are formed is continuous and forms a bail whose upper horizontal span 66 is connected to the hooks 62 by the straight shank arms of the claw. Bail 66 is pivotally supported in two bearing notches sunk downward from the top edges of the respective side walls of an operators cage 67 at a location spaced a substantial distance above the concavity of the hook. Thus bail 66 is free to rise yieldingly in its bearing notches if improper rubbing engagement of the hooks with a log demands thereby to avoid accidental jamming. Cage 67 depends fixedly from the trolley chassis 60 and contains a seat for a figurette 68 representing a workman sitting within reach of the simulated control levers 69. Cord 63 is threaded through a guide aperture 70 in the front lip 71 of the superstructure 20 and is trained about a roller 75 that is freely turnable in a bracket 76 upstanding from the bridge piece 77 that fronts the upper part of the runway structure 54. One end of cord 63 is attached to the trolley chassis 60 while the other end is attached to the free end of lever 33. Lugs 64 on chassis 60 keep the latter from being derailed.

Supported at an incline so as to project rearward and downward from the bridge piece 77 there is a rigid tripper tongue 78 whose free end is positioned to be encountered by a trippable loop 79 formed from the wire of the bail 66. This loop upstands at a central point in the pivoted span of bail 66 so that when it rides into pressing engagement against the end of the tripper tongue 78, during the end of the climbing travel of trolley 59, it causes the wire claw 61 to be deflected clockwise as from position 62c to position 62d in Fig. 3, whereupon-the hooks 62 are caused to dump the log being carried by them at a delivery position over a toy railway car (not shown) that may be standing alongside the front edge of the station platform or at the left in Fig. 3 so that the dumped log will fall onto the car.

The complete cycle of operation will be understood in greater detail by reference to Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, wherein Figs. 4 and 6 show the log lifter arms 36 retracted to a position below the slots 13 in the inclined ways 14 as shown by their broken line position 40a in Fig. 4. At this time some one of the logs 16 has rolled by gravity to a position of dwell on the seat 15 as indicated by the broken line position of the middle log in Fig. 4. Also at this time the operated spur 39 of the log elevating cradle 40 dwells on the horizontal and lowest sector 43 of cam 38 which is fast on shaft 30 and therefore turns continually in unison with crank 31 in a clockwise direction in the plan view of the crank and the cam in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. This period of dwell of elevating cradle 40 continues during most of the period while crank 31 swings from its position in Fig. 6 to its position in Fig. 7 which swinging action of the crank swings impeller lever 33 clockwise in said figures simultaneously hauling the trolley chassis 60 up the inclined tracks 55 to its log dumping destination indicated by broken lines 60a, 60b in Fig. 3. In this final stage of upward climb of the trolley the log carrying hooks become automatically swung from position 620 to position 62d releasing the log .6. hi w ll he p p as e e nbefqre. de c ibed.

As shaft 30 continues to rotate at the same speed and in the same direction, the swinging of crank 31 from position in Fig. 7 to position in Fig. 5 returns the impeller lever 33 to its position in Fig. 5 by traversing a less angle of throw, hence lever 33 is swung at a more rapid angular speed in its return movement from position in Fig. 6 to position in Fig. 5 than in its trolley hauling movement from Fig. 5 to Fig. 6. This relatively quicker return of lever 33 permits trolley 59 to coast down the tracks 55 by its own weight at a correspondingly faster speed than that with which it climbs.

While the trolley is coasting downward on return to its position in Fig. 3 the ramp sector 44 of cam 38 steadily forces upward the log elevating cradle 40 from its position corresponding to broken line position in Fig. 4, to its full line position in Figs. 4 and 5 where a log has been separated from and lifted above the adjacent logs so that the approach of hooks 62 to the elevated log through positions 62a and 62b in Fig. 4 enables the hooks to nestle under and scoop up the elevated log. This occurs before the continued turning of cam 38 permits the cradle spur 39 to drop off from cam shoulder 37 which then permits the cradle 40 to drop by its own weight to the position shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6. No actual nor extended dwell in the rising movement of cradle 40 need occur at the summit of its rise because the escapement of hooks 62 from their position 62b to their full line position in Fig. 4 occurs with an abrupt action requiring no long period of dwell by the lifter arms 36. However, Fig. 7 makes clear that there is an approximate dwell in the rising movement of cradle 40 at the summit of its rise due to the substantially flat, horizontal area of the cam surface atop the drop-off shoulder 37.

The foregoing cycle will be repeated at each full revolution of shaft 30 whereupon the hooks 62 during each cyclic excursion of the trolley will pick up a different log, convey it to the top of the inclined track and drop it, whereupon the trolley returns to pick up the next log which automatically will have rolled to and settled upon the seat 15.

The appended claims are directed to and intended to cover not only the express structures and exact functions and relationships thereof pictured and described herein to illustrate the invention but also obvious equivalents thereof coming within a broad interpretation of the language employed in the claims to define the invention.

We claim:

1. In a toy log loading station, the combination of, an inclined bed leading downward to a relatively low seat thereon for the dwell of toy logs disposed to roll down the incline of said bed, a crane trolley rigged to perform a log conveying excursion toward and away from a pickup location approximately above said seat, a log pick-up claw including a shank riding with and depending swingably from said trolley and a hook whose concavity opens toward the log and is of greater horizontal extent than the thickness of said log, said hook being rigid with and carried by the lower end of said shank in a path of approach to a location approximately over said seat, a log lifting device mounted for up and down movement at said seat, and motion transmitting mechanism connected so to synchronize the travel of said trolley with upward movement of said device that a log is elevated into position above said seat prior to the arrival of said hook at said location, whereby said swingable hook is enabled automatically to nestle under an elevated log while the latter is borne by said device in said elevated position.

2. In a toy log loading station the combination defined in claim 1, together with a runway including an inclined track supporting said trolley in the latters excursion from the said pick-up location to a track terminal remote therefrom, and a tripper tongue stationed at said track terminal in position to be encountered by the said shank of said claw in a manner to cause the said hook to swing relatively to said trolley to a sulficiently inclined position to enable the said log to roll out of its retaining concavity in said hook automatically during the performing of said excursion by said trolley.

3. In a toy log loading station the combination defined in claim 1, in which the said motion transmitting mechanism includes a rotor mounted to revolve unidirectionally about a vertical axis and having a cam surface operatively related to the said device in a manner to cause the said up and down movement 'of the latter.

4. In a toy log loading station the combination defined in claim 3, in which the said cam surface is shaped to produce a period of dwell of the said device in lowermost position of the latter during continuous unidirectional rotation of said rotor.

5. In a toy log loading station the combination defined in claim 3, in which the said cam surface is shaped to produce a period of approximate dwell of the said device in both the uppermost and lowermost positions thereof during continuous unidirectional rotation of said rotor.

6. In a toy log loading station the combination defined in claim 3, in which the said cam surface includes an inclined portion operative to raise the said device with relatively slow movement and a portion without incline permitting said device to dwell, together with an abrupt shoulder intermediate said cam surface portions permitting relatively quick lowering of said device during movement of the said motion transmitting mechanism at uniform speed.

7. In a toy log loading station the combination defined in claim 1, in which the said motion transmitting mechanism includes a crank, a reciprocative impeller 'lever oscillated by unidirectional rotary movement of said crank, and a flexible cable connecting said lever to the said trolley.

8. In a toy log loading station the combination defined in claim 7, in which the said crank is operatively related to the said impeller lever in a manner to oscillate the latter faster in one direction of swinging movement than in the other.

9. In a toy log loading station the combination defined in claim '7, together with a rotor mounted to revolve unidirectionally about a vertical axis and having a cam surface operatively related to the said device in a manner 'to cause the said up and down movement of the latter.

10. In a toy log loading station, the combination of, an inclined bed leading downward to a relatively low seat thereon for the dwell of toy logs disposed to roll down the incline of said bed, a crane trolley rigged to perform a log conveying excursion toward and away from a pick-up location approximately above said seat, a hook riding with and depending swingably from said trolley in a path of approach to a location approximately over said seat, a log lifting device mounted for up and down movement at said seat, and motion transmitting mechanism connecetd to synchronize the travel of said trolley with upward movement of said device so that a log is elevated into uppermost position above said seat {prior to the arrival of said hook at said location, said mechanism including a swingable impeller lever, a rotary crank connected to oscillate said lever faster in one direction of swinging movement than in the other, a flexible cable connecting said lever to said trolley, and a cam surface arranged to revolve in unison with said crank operatively related to said lifting device in a manner to cause said up and down movement of the latter, whereby said swingable hook is enabled automatically to nestle under an elevated log while the latter is borne on said device in said elevated position.

11. In a toy log loading station, the combination of, an inclined bed leading downward to a relatively low seat thereon for the dwell of toy logs disposed to roll down the incline of said bed, a crane trolley rigged to perform a log conveying excursion toward and away from a pick-up location approximately above said seat, a hook riding with and depending swingably from said trolley in a path of approach to a location approximately over said seat, a log lifting device mounted for up and down movement at said seat, and motion transmitting mechanism connected to synchronize the travel of said trolley with upward movement of said device so that a log is elevated into uppermost position above said seat prior to the arrival of said hook at said location, said mechanism including a swingable impeller lever, a rotary crank connected to oscillate said lever faster in one direction of swinging movement than in the other, a flcxible cable connecting said lever to said trolley, a cam surface arranged to revolve in unison with said crank operatively related to said lifting device in a manner to cause said up and down movement ofthe latter, and a shaft on which said cam surface and said crank are fixed and spaced apart longitudinally of the shaft, whereby said swingable hook is enabled automatically to nestle under an elevated log while the latter is borne on said device in said elevated position.

12. In a toy log loading station, the combination of, an inclined bed leading downward to a relatively low seat thereon for the dwell of toy logs disposed to roll down the incline of said bed, a crane trolley rigged to perform a log conveying excursion toward and away from a pickup location approximately above said seat, a hook riding with and depending swingably from saidtrolley in a path of approach to a location approximately over said seat, a log lifting device mounted for up and down movement at said seat, and motion transmitting mechanism connected to synchronize the travel of said trolley with upward movement of said device so that a log is elevated into uppermost position above said seat prior to the arrival of said hook at said location, said mechanism including a swingable impeller lever, a rotary crank connected to oscillate said lever faster in one direction of swinging movement than in the other, a flexible cable connecting said lever to said trolley, and a cam surface arranged to revolve in unison with said crank operatively related to said lifting device in a manner to cause said up and down movement of the latter, and a shaft on which said cam surface and said crank are fixed and spaced apart longitudinally of the shaft, whereby said swingable hook is enabled automatically to nestle under an elevated log while the latter is borne on said device in said elevated position, together with station superstructure above said inclined bed, and an electric prime mover on said superstructure connected to rotate the said shaft, a length of said shaft between said crank and said cam surface extending from said superstructure to said bed. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

